The Philadelphia Orchestra

Fiery young conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin makes his New York debut at the helm of The Philadelphia Orchestra in Verdi’s towering Requiem, as well as 20th century works by Ravel, Stravinsky, and a new work by Oliver Knussen. Sir Simon Rattle also takes the podium for an intriguing concert that pairs the timeless eloquence of Beethoven with the gripping music of Berg and the fascinating whimsy of Ligeti.

Program

VERDI Requiem

Yannick Nézet-Séguin leads The Philadelphia Orchestra in Verdi’s Requiem—the conductor’s first performance at Carnegie Hall as the orchestra’s music director. Written three years after Verdi’s operatic triumph Aida, the Requiem combines the drama of the stage, the emotional power of an oratorio, and the intensity of a symphony in a grand Romantic expression of grief.

Program

Renowned for his interpretations of Ravel's music, Jean-Yves Thibaudet joins The Philadelphia Orchestra for the composer’s jazzy Piano Concerto in G Major. The evening also features Stravinsky’s Le sacre du printemps, which infamously caused riots in 1913 for its explosive, driving rhythms; today, it is one of Stravinsky’s most celebrated and frequently performed works, its influence heard in everything from modern classical works to film soundtracks.

Program

When Sir Simon Rattle and Barbara Hannigan get together to perform Ligeti’s Mysteries of the Macabre, you never know what will happen. In 2010, Hannigan shoved Mr. Rattle out of the way and conducted the orchestra herself, part of a performance that perfectly “conveyed Ligeti’s parody of a secret-police chief with scalpel-edge sharpness” (The New York Times). Also featuring Beethoven’s evocative “Pastoral” Symphony and music from Berg’s Wozzeck, it’s an evening of unpredictable theatricality you won’t want to miss.